By Paul D. Bowker
KALONA
With a state golf tournament bid on the line, Mid-Prairie junior Olivia Swartzendruber was already nerved up when she found teammate Morgyn Bender during a break between holes during last week’s 2A Regional Final.
The Golden Hawks were on their home course, Kalona Golf Course. They needed a top-two finish, as a team, to qualify for this week’s state tourney in Marshalltown. No big deal, right?
It quickly became a big deal.
“I saw Morgyn on the back nine for the first time all day,” Swartzendruber said. “I asked her how she was doing.”
Bender’s response: “Not so hot.”
The stress machine kicked up.
“I was getting kind of scared,” said Swartzendruber, who ended up scoring an 87 to finish sixth on the individual leaderboard. “The day was full of nerves. I don’t think I was relaxed once.”
“I get really nervous,” said Bender, a junior who is also a basketball teammate of Swartzendruber. “I don’t try to be. I try to calm myself down. It’s crazy.”
The nerves, and the golfing, worked out. The Golden Hawks combined to shoot 383 to finish in second place, six shots ahead of the third-place team, Centerville, and just two shots behind tournament winner Durant.
“The day did not pan out exactly how we thought,” Swartzendruber said, “but we got to state anyway. It doesn’t matter how we got there. We made it.”
Thursday and Friday at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown, the Golden Hawks will be one of 10 teams competing for a 2A state title.
“Once you get there, the hard part is over,” Mid-Prairie head coach Tracy McArtor said. “Whatever happens out there is just gravy.”
The Golden Hawks placed fifth at the 2024 state tournament, when Swartzendruber and Bender were freshmen playing on the varsity.
“It’s going to be so fun,” Bender said. “I’ve gotten so close to all these girls, some of my best friends. We’re just going to enjoy it.”
Bender survived some nervous moments and shot a 95 to tie for 11th place in the Regional Final, helping to secure a spot in the state field.
“I thought I was going to shoot in the 100s,” she said, laughing. “I know I have to be one of the ones that has a low number to score for our team. Being a two, you have a little bit more pressure. I was just like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m not doing good.’ I was really hoping other people were doing so good. It all worked out.”
After the round was over, she hugged her dad, Kelby, who is head coach of Mid-Prairie’s boys team, and the Golden Hawks were on their way to Marshalltown.
Macie Ihrig, a freshman, added a 98 for the Golden Hawks, senior Delani Blum carded 103, freshman Noelle Nelson had a 104 and senior Paiton Chittick had a 108.
“These guys, I think if they just go up there and play freely and don’t worry about the little things and just go have fun, it’s hard to say how well they can play,” McArtor said. “If Liv and Morgan play the game they’re capable of, having that leadership role and experience. Everybody else, if they just shoot their averages, kind of like they did today, they should be able to finish probably the middle of the pack.
“We’ll take anything we can come home with,” McArtor said.
“I’m glad to be back and hopefully make a run,” Swartzendruber said.
The state tournament consists of two 18-hole rounds.
Joining Mid-Prairie and Durant in the team competition are Tipton, Crestwood, Grundy Center, Hinton, Jesup, Kuemper Catholic, New Hampton and Roland Story. Also competing as individuals are 19 golfers from around the state, including Alexandria Booten of Burlington/Notre Dame, who won medalist honors in the Kalona Regional Final with a score of 76.
GRAYSON CARDS 83: Mid-Prairie junior Grayson Gingerich shot 83 and tied for 16th place in a Class 3A District boys tournament held May 19 at Bos Landen Golf Course in Pella.
He qualified for the tournament as an individual by carding a 76 in a 3A Sectional in Oskaloosa.
Kyler Besick of Pella won District medalist honors with a 72.
BY THE NUMBERS
2A GIRLS REGIONAL
(May 22 at Kalona Golf Course)
Team scores: 1, Durant, 381; 2, Mid-Prairie, 383; 3, Centerville, 389; 4, Oelwein, 393; 5, Camanche, 415.
Top Five: 1, Alexandria Booten, Burlington/Notre Dame, 76; 2, Grace Lewis, Oelwein, 77; 3, Emma Kipfer, Albia, 83; T4, Matty Kovecevich and Gracie Zaputil, Centerville, 86.
Mid-Prairie: 6, Olivia Swartzendruber, 87; T11, Morgyn Bender, 95; 15, Macie Ihrig, 98; 19, Delani Blum, 103; 20, Noelle Nelson, 104; T25, Paiton Chittick, 108.
Keywords
Mid-Prairie,
girls golf,
state tournament,
Olivia Swartzendruber,
Morgyn Bender